If you really want to live, why not try and Meet Yourself? There's no better time to do it than this weekend, when a herd of local chefs, cultural clubs and arts organizations will take over downtown Tucson for an epic celebration.
Now in its 46th year, Tucson Meet Yourself is back with an international menu that'll impress even your cultured friend who just came back from Queens. New vendors this year include Puerto Rican street food, Syrian sweets, the dumplings and rice dishes of Kyrgyzstan, and ... Burmese tea leaf salad!!!
I put three exclamation points on that one because the thought of it literally made me tear up at my desk. This dish is very hard to find in the United States outside of the Bay Area, where local chains like Burma Superstar have popularized the showy spread of nuts, veggies and fermented tea leaves (often mixed at the table). At Tucson Meet Yourself, you can find it at the booth called Fat Mama's Gangster Sandwich, run by a group of ladies from Myanmar.
Here's a full list of all the delicious vendors this year. You can find a map at the Tucson Meet Yourself website. The festival runs Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Jácome Plaza and in the surrounding streets.
Asian and Pacific
Japanese takoyaki octopus balls are one of the most popular vendors at Tucson Meet Yourself every year.
• NEW — Cosmo’s Star: Central Asian from Kyrgyzstan at booth F24
• NEW — Fat Mama's Gangster Sandwich: Burmese sandwiches at F23
• Takoyaki Balls: Japanese octopus dumplings at booth F39
• Filipino American Sampaguita: at booth F54
• Filipino American Students Association: at booth F25
• New Delhi Palace: Indian food at booth F53
• Thri Ratana Tucson Buddhist Temple: Thai food at booth F14
• Saffron Indian Bistro: at booth F10
• Vietnamese Students Association: at booth F49
• Wat Buddhametta: Thai food at booth F3
• Laos Academic Organization: at booth F37
European and Eurasian
Elif Demirbas grills up Gözleme, a Turkish flatbread filled with cheese, spinach or beef.
• Sema Foundation: Turkish food at booth F15
• Kalina Russian Cuisine: at booth F41
• Arslan’s Grill: Bosnian food at booth F21
• Café Francais: at booth F16
• Daughters of Penelope: Greek food at booth F40
• Lajkonik Polish Food: at booth F6
Middle Eastern and African food
Beef kabob, salad, mirza and kookoo from the Iranian Students' Cultural Association in Tucson booth is available at the annual Tucson Meet Yourself event. Friday October 7, 2016.
• NEW — ELFA refugee services: Syrian food at booth F51
• Iranian Students Cultural Association: at booth F43
• Masri: Egyptian food at booth F22
African American and soul food
An order of chicken and waffles at Mama Carey’s Kitchen inside Metro Wildcat Convenience store. Mama Carey's catering business will also be at Tucson Meet Yourself.
• Mama Carey’s Catering: at booth F26
• Gethsemane Cogic Women: at booth F56
Native American food
Cafe Santa Rosa's fry bread.
• Café Santa Rosa: at booth F46
• The O'odham Ladies: at booth F27
• San Ignacio Yaqui Council: at booth F38
• San Xavier Farm Coop: at booth F36
• Yoeme Barrio Libre: at booth F11
Regional American food
We got the combo plate with Kalua pulled pork (top), katsu chicken (left) and kalbi beef short ribs, $11.50, during a visit to Solid Grindz in Craycroft Road in 2016.
• Solid Grindz: Hawaiian food at booth F9
• Tucson Invitational Games: Ballpark Foods at booth F34
Latin American
Arepa Pabellón sandwich, of shredded beef, plantains and black beans on a deep fried masa cake from Ricuras de Venezuela food truck in 2016.
• Club Colombia: at booth F6
• Club Costa Rica: at booth F4
• La Fondita Chilena: Chilean food at booth F19
• Inca's Peruvian: at booth F17
• Ricuras de Venezuela: at booth F42
Caribbean food
Jerk chicken from the CeeDee Jamaican Kitchen booth is available at the annual Tucson Meet Yourself event. Friday October 7, 2016.
• NEW — La Jaltera: Puerto Rican food at booth F48
• CeeDee’s Jamaican Kitchen: at booth F35
• D's Island Grill: at booth (Jamaican) F12
• Patricia's Cuban Kitchen: at booth F8
• Safe Mission: Jamaican food at booth F52
Mexican food
Carne asada and chicken tacos from the Los Chiquilines booth is available at the annual Tucson Meet Yourself event. Friday October 7, 2016.
• Los Chiquilines: aguas frescas at booth F50
• BK Tacos: at booth F33
• Holy Toledo: Oaxacan food at booth F55
• Mariscos Chihuahua: Mexican seafood at booth F31
• Matilde's Sonoran Kitchen: at booth F28
• Santa Cruz Catholic Church/Little Mexico: at booth F5
• El Taco Rustico: at booth F13
World Street Snacks
Pineapple Strawberry sno-cone from Sonoran Sno-cones in 2016.
• Sonoran Sno Cones: at booth F47
• The Corn Roasters: at booth F44
• Frost Gelato Shoppe: at booth F571
• Fruitshack Smoothies: at booth F45
• Hawaiian Shave Ice: at booth F29
• J's Kettle Corn: at booth F32
• Just Churros: at booth F30
• King Corn: at booth F2
• Lil' Orbits: donuts at booth F18
Tucson Meet Yourself: Come for the food, stay for the culture
Tucson Meet Yourself comes to downtown Tucson for its 46th year on Oct 11, 12, and 13. For three days, more than 200 folk artists, performers, and food vendors bring you a taste of their culture and tradition. The festival is free and open to the public.
Where: The festival occupies four city blocks and Jacomé Plaza, in front of the Joel D. Valdez Main Library.
When: Friday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday noon to 6 p.m.
Cost: Free, bring money for food!
Find more information here.
